Lucknow: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested six individuals allegedly part of a sophisticated cyber syndicate that defrauded Japanese citizens through fake tech support scams. The arrests were made following coordinated raids across 19 locations in Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh as part of Operation Chakra V, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The accused—Shubham Jaiswal, Vivek Raj, and Adarsh Kumar (all residents of Varanasi), Rohit Maurya (Ayodhya), Ashu Singh (Delhi), and Kapil Ghakhar (Panipat)—were apprehended after an extensive operation that dismantled two illegal call centers masquerading as legitimate tech support services.
Fake Call Centres Posing as Microsoft Support Duped Japanese Victims
According to the CBI, the cybercriminal syndicate operated under the guise of customer service representatives from well-known multinational corporations, particularly Microsoft. These fake call centres were engineered to deceive Japanese citizens into believing that their computers and electronic devices had been compromised.
Using social engineering tactics and technical deception, victims were manipulated into granting remote access to their devices. Under the pretense of “fixing” security issues, the perpetrators coerced the victims into transferring funds to mule accounts controlled by the syndicate.
The operation, officials said, was run with an alarming level of sophistication. Substantial digital evidence and financial documents were seized during the raids, pointing toward large-scale international fraud.
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India–Japan Coordination Key to Crackdown: Operation Chakra V in Action
The investigation began after credible intelligence surfaced regarding fraudulent schemes targeting foreign nationals. The CBI worked in close coordination with the National Police Agency of Japan and cybersecurity professionals from Microsoft to trace and identify the perpetrators.
“This international collaboration was crucial in dismantling the syndicate’s operational structure,” said a CBI spokesperson. “The agency remains firmly committed to pursuing cybercriminals operating across borders and exploiting digital platforms to harm foreign citizens.”
The CBI reaffirmed its dedication to combating digital crime, underlining its increasing focus on cybercrime detection, investigation, and international cooperation. Operation Chakra V is part of a broader effort to safeguard individuals and digital ecosystems from the rising threat of tech-enabled fraud.
The six accused are currently in custody, and further investigation is underway to uncover additional accomplices and financial networks linked to the syndicate.